My Daily To Do List

Happy New Year! If you’re trying to dig out of the mess like we are, you might appreciate this idea. Or maybe you’ll enjoy a chuckle over the ridiculousness of it.

I’m a list maker. They calm me down, focus me and keep me organized. But there are some things that I do routinely that I need to remind myself of but I don’t want to keep writing over and over. I know that I sound like a grade school kid admitting that I need to be reminded to do such simple things, but the fact is, I get distracted. I have to remind myself to figure out what we’re having for dinner because otherwise it’ll BE dinnertime when I realize that I have no idea what we’re having. And that’s the moment where creativity tends to fail me.

So I finally found a way to keep my routine to-dos nearby without writing “vacuum” on a list again and again. Or “dinner plan”. AGAIN. The repetitive nature of cooking has got to be the worst part. If it were only once I week I’d be SO enthusiastic about it. (Didn’t we just eat dinner yesterday? Is it already time for that again?!?) My solution: I made a magnetic to do list and added it to the magnetic boards at my desk.

I think my favorite one is the bathrooms magnet. Please examine it below. Bathrooms are so easy to clean when I just go from one to the other and get it all done at once. But remembering to do that… just doesn’t seem to happen. Generally the realization hits me as the doorbell is ringing– whoa, we’ve got problems. So, a reminder helps. Even seeing the magnet and asking myself “when was the last time I did that?” helps. I’ve tried to keep these simple and reasonable and do-able. I am probably overly optimistic with the 20 minute cardio one. Even 5 minutes of cardio a day would be an improvement. Well, planned cardio. As opposed to the adrenaline-spurred sprint up the stairs to find out WTH that crash in the kids’ bedroom was all about.

You can see exactly how I made them over at Crafts Unleashed. I really want to hear what you think. On one hand, writing this post has made me wonder whether I’m the only one who is so easily distracted that I need to be reminded to do ridiculously simple things. On the other hand, I’m wondering whether I should add others, like… “drink water”. ‘Cause there’ve been (plenty of) days where that was forgotten, too.

oh my gosh, this is genius. seriously genius. i have the exact same problem about getting simple things done (including the “drink water” one…) and how satisfying would it be to move a magnet to the “done” side! i really need to implement this in my house!

Haha supper is a big one. If I think of supper in the morning and have the meat defrosted I’m a superstar. Great food and very healthy. HOWever, especially since we don’t have a microwave, often if it’s past 2 and I have nothing pulled off the day is a writeoff. Hotdogs! KD! Pizza delivery guy who is comfortable enough to just let himself in! I’m only half kidding on that one. (but we ordered from the same place and would get the same old guy once a week or so for about a year…. and it’s really cold outside.)

I love this! Oh my god dinner, lunch, gah! How annoying! And the water thing, I am working on a similar to do list and it is totally on mine. Hmm why do I have this headache? Have I drunk any water today?!?! Oh…

Snaps for this great organization. I totally need all of the magnets exept for the dammit part. I have one learning to read and he would ask me what dammit meant. I’ve already had to explain what a jackass is. I might have to make an exception for a magnet that said 1 effin load of laundry.

Oooo, very cool! I think I might need a daily and a weekly one for all my chores, but then I’ll probably stop using it because it will be taunting me just like my to do lists. Should I make one or just do the housework?

cool! Very organised and a way to feel you have accomplished stuff just keeping house! I know what you mean about the dinner thing – I am generally unenthused about cooking dinner every night and feel I am very uninventive!! Suz

Hey Suz…www.allthecooks.com is a wonderful website. They have all kinds of recipes (& I couldn’t tell you the number of recipe books I have that don’t get used!). They have pictures – what I love! And most of the recipes have alternatives that different people have used. I started using this app (b/c I have it on my phone, so I can use it anywhere) and I love it! Give it a try…it makes cooking dinner every night (or every other night) much better!

You definitely aren’t the only one that needs these sort of reminders! I love the HomeRoutine app because it tells me every morning to check my calendar and feed the cats :) I think I need to add drink water too.

OMGosh! All y’all are awesome! I admit it…I am and always have been a obsessive “list-maker!” Sometimes I have to gather my lists to make lists, cause I don’t always have pen and paper handy when I think of something that needs to be done! How bad is that?! Luckily I found this icon on my phone called “Memo” that I make my lists on and can keep up with them. There is also a free app (on my android) that’s called “don’t forget the milk” that seems pretty good as well. Sorry for the lengthliness (sp) of this comment,,,but just was glad to find people like me out there! & I also add “drink water” to my lists!

Ok, yes, I’m beginning to sound like a dumba* but that’s life sometimes & it’s 2am! I do LOVE your idea with the magnets and I have been working for a while on trying consistently to keep a calendar out to keep my lists on. I guess it will be some sort of dry erase/magnetic?? I was much more organized before, but now I’m 41, a dingbat, and I have a 3 yr old! And ever since I had her I haven’t been able to “get it together!” ***If I find that I did something that WAS NOT on the list…I put it on my list just so I can cross it off or put “done” by it! it’s the little things that keep us motivated sometimes.

Awesome. I’m a list maker too — so much so that my husband has a good laugh about it on a regular basis. I’m going to keep this magnet idea in the back of my head. For now, I have those small post-it notes inside the back cover of my calendar, pre-lettered with all the same “simple” stuff. I pluck them out and move them to the appropriate day as need. AND, I have precisely the same sentiments about dinner as you! Seriously, once a week really ought to be enough. ; )

Seriously awesome! And I would definitely add a drink water one and one to remind me to eat. And an undivided attention for 20 min with each kid… Sad I know but it is easier to get things done when you get to check them off the list!!